Rectractable pivot bolt arrangement

ABSTRACT

A pivot bolt arrangement for securing a container having sockettype openings to a housing mounted on a chassis frame support is arranged to be retracted into the housing when not in use. The housing forms a hollow or open space into which the bolt is retracted. The bolt extends upwardly through an opening in the top of the housing with its head resting on a collar. When the bolt extends through the socket-type opening in the container, it can be pivoted relative to the collar for securing the container to the housing. A pivot handle is attached to the bolt for rotating it and for retracting it into the housing.

Unite States Patent Werner et al.

[ 1 May 22, 1973 [541 RETRACTABLE PIVOT BOLT 3,682,432 9 1972 Lapaich.248/361 ARRANGEMENT 31,82,423 8/1972 Scarborough 3,643,906 2/1972Werner 248/361 [76] Inventors: Hans Werner, Stieglitz-Strasse l3;

Baldur KOSChillflt, Schalbenstrasse Primary Examiner-James T McCall Ottovm'mbflum, Siemfins- Assistant Examiner-Garry Moore SIFaSSe Of 6073Nell-lsenbllrg, Attorney-John .l. McGlew and David Toren Germany '22Filed: Sept. 24, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] pp No: 183,606 pivot boltarrangement for securing a container havmg socket-type openings to ahousing mounted on a Related Application Data chassis frame support isarranged to be retracted into the housing when not in use. The housingforms a hol- Division of 5 p 3, 1962, low or open space into which thebolt is retracted. The bolt extends upwardly through an opening in thetop w of the housing with its head resting on a collar. When [52] U.S.Cl. ..248/36l, 24/221, 105/368 the bolt extends h h th socket-typeopening in Int. Cl. the container it can be pivoted rglative to thecollar of Search 366; for ecuring the container to the housing. A pivothan- 24/221 dle is attached to the bolt for rotating it and forretracting it into the housing. [56] References Cited 7 Claims, 8Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,701,562 10/1972 Carr ..248/36lPATENT Eb LILY 2 i975 SHEET 2 OF 5 PATENIE M22 1015 SHEU 3 UF 5 PATENTELA??? 5 SHEET 1; OF 5 PATENTEL Iii? 3 2 I975 SHEET 5 OF 5 RETRACTABLEPIVOT BOLT ARRANGEMENT CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION Thisapplication is a division of application Ser. No. 870,590, filed Sept.3, 1962, and now US. Pat. No. 5 3,643,906, issued Feb. 22, 1972.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a turning or pivotbolt arrangement positionable within socket-type openings in a containerfor securing the container on a chassis frame support, and, moreparticularly, it is directed to the arrangement of the bolt which can beadjusted for securing different thicknesses of the container plate tothe support and also for retracting the bolt into a housing when it isnot in use.

For the economical utilization of a truck, the same frame support shouldbe usable for attaching a normal superstructure to the truck or forsecuring one or several containers in place. When pivot or turning boltsare used, for securing the containers in position, they project upwardlyfrom their guide collarsthrough the frame support and are in the waywhen not in use. In the past, it has been known to utilize pivot boltswhich can be detached from the chassis frame. In such a case, the boltsare carried loosely in the truck as long as it supports a conventionalsuperstructure. When the truck is to be converted to support one orseveral containers, the changeover operation is time-consuming and, inaddition, there is the risk that one or a number of the bolts notsecured in position will become lost. When such a problem arises, theoperator of the truck attempts to secure the container with theremaining bolts and, as a result, the bolts become overstressed and tendto break so that the container is not adequately secured and may falloff the truck.

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide apivot bolt arrangement which is secured to the chassis frame support ofthe truck at all times and which can be retracted into a housing orsimilar structure so that it does not cause any interference when it isnot in use.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, a connectingelement composed of a housing is attached to the truck frame support andis arranged to receive the pivot bolt. The housing is formed of a topwall and side walls which combine to provide an open or hollow spacebelow the top wall into which the bolt can be retracted. The housing issecured to the frame support along one of its side walls which has aheight somewhat less than the height of the web of the frame support sothat a fillet weld can be formed along the top of the side wall forsecuring it to the frame support at a position below the top surface ofthe frame support.

In the top wall of the housing a non-circular opening is provided withinwhich the guide collar for the pivot bolt is positioned and a certainamount of play is provided so that the collar can be retracted into thehousing by means of a pivot lever. The side walls of the housing providea cylindrically shaped housing section in which a L-shaped slot isprovided for guiding the pivot lever as it positions the bolt. Oneportion of the L-shaped slot extends horizontally and a second portionextends vertically downwardly from the horizontal section. By displacingthe pivot lever selectively through the Lshaped slot, the bolt can bepivoted for securing the container in place and, in addition, the

bolt can be retracted into the housing by moving the pivot lever throughthe vertically arranged section of the slot. Stop members are secured tothe exterior of the housing adjacent the slot for securing the pivotlever in position. The pivot lever is formed of a hinged constructioncomposed of a first part disposed in the horizontal position and asecond part hinged to the first part for movement between a horizontalposition and a vertical position. In the horizontal position, the secondpart extends axially from the first part so that the pivot lever can bepositioned through the slot and when the second part is moved into thevertical position the pivot lever is secured in place. Another featureof the invention is the constructionof the pivot bolt arrangement sothat it can be employed for securely attaching two differentstandardized plate thicknesses of container plate to the truck framesupport. In one embodiment of the bolt arrangement, the adjustment todifferent thicknesses of the container plate can be made by positioningthe pivot lever in selected locations within the horizontal part of theL-shaped slot in the housing. At the end of the slot remote from thevertical section, a downwardly inclined end part can be provided toreceive the pivot bolt as it is turned transversely to its guide collarand lowered relative to the remaining part of the horizontal section foradjusting to the thickness of the container plate. In this arrangement,the bolt head locks the container to the housing and, in turn, to theframe support when the container plate containing the socket openingsthrough which the bolts extend have a thinner standardized thickness.

On the other hand, if a thicker container plate section is used, thebolt is rotated by means of the pivot lever through the horizontal legto its opposite end at the upper end of the vertical section of theslot. Since the container plate is positioned about the guide collar ofthe bolt, the bolt arrangement will not move downwardly through thevertical leg but will secure the container to the frame support. A stopmember is secured to the outer surface of the side walls of the housingto hold the pivot lever in position after its second part is moved fromthe horizontal to the vertical position. In this location, the bolt headis positioned in a relatively higher plane than when the pivot lever ispositioned at the opposite end of the slot and, accordingly, it iscapable of firmly securing a thicker container plate to the support. Asindicated, with the bolt disposed in either of the two end positions inthe slot, the second section of the pivot lever can be hinged into itsvertical position and folded against the outer surface of the housing.The stops on the outer surface of the housing prevent the bolt frombeing displaced by vibrations generated as the truck is driven and,moreover, by folding the pivot lever downwardly the width of the vehicleis reduced.

In order to facilitate the positioning of the pivot bolt, a centerposition can be located in the horizontal leg of the L-shaped slot bymeans of a depression located between the stops which identify the endpositions of the pivot lever. Further, another slot having a widththrough which the pivot lever can pass is disposed upwardly from thehorizontal leg of the L-shaped slot through the side walls of thehousing and extending to the top of the housing. By aligning the pivotlever in the horizontal leg of the L-shaped slot with the assembly slotthe bolt arrangement can be lifted upwardly from the housing by movingthe lever through the assembly slot so that the bolt arrangement isavailable for repair or replacement without requiring any tools fordismantling the housing and removing the bolt arrangement.

In addition to the retractable feature described above, it is alsopossible to provide another embodiment of the bolt arrangement which isadjustable for two different standardized plate thicknesses and in whicha hinged support of the bolt arrangement is provided for displacing thebolt into the housing so that it does not provide any interference abovethe surface of the frame support of the truck. In this embodiment, atleast one supporting lever secures the bolt arrangement in its lockingposition by means of a spring-loaded construction. When the lever isdisplaced from its supporting position, the bolt arrangement can berotated about a pivot support into a retracted position within thehousing.

When the pivot bolt is rotated into its retracted position along withthe guide collar, it does not project either upwardly or downwardlyrelative to the chassis frame support and, as a result, can beintegrally attached to the frame support without affecting the clearancebetween the frame support and the ground. In addition, by means of aspacer mounted between the bolt head and its guide collar, the pivotbolt can be adapted to secure different thicknesses of container plateto the frame support.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there are described and illustrated preferredembodiments of the invention.

In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the presentinvention for securing a container to a frame support by means of apivot bolt arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1with a handle illustrated in the folded down position as compared to thehorizontal position in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view, partly in section, of another embodiment of thepresent invention with one bolt arrangement represented in the raisedand unlocked position;

FIG. 4 is a side view, partly in section, of the pivot bolt arrangementin FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view, partly in section, similar to FIG. 4, however,with the bolt arrangement being rotated from the vertical into thehorizontal position;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the pivot bolt arrangement shown in FIG. 3, withthe horizontal position of the bolt, as shown in FIG.'5, illustrated indot-dashed lines;

FIG. 7 is a front view, partly in section, ofa third embodiment of thepresent invention, with the pivot bolt in a position similar to thatillustrated in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a side view, partly in section, of the embodiment illustratedin FIG. 7 in a position similar to that illustrated in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIGS. 1 and 2, a bracket-typehousing 2 is welded along one of its upper edges to a section l of achassis frame support, not otherwise illustrated. The housing isconstructed of a top wall 7, having a rectangular shape,

and side walls which are disposed along three sides of the housing withone side abutting the frame section 1 of the chassis frame support. Bymeans of the side walls an open space is provided below the top wall 7in which an inner cylindrically shaped housing wall section 3 ispositioned. An opening 6 of irregular or non-circular shape extendsthrough the top wall 7 in alignment with the cylindrically shapedhousing section 3. A hammer head-shaped bolt 4 is shown in the unlockedposition of the bolt arrangement extending upwardly from the top wall 7of the housing 2 and rests on a similarly hammerhead-shaped guide collar5 which also extends upwardly above the top wall of the housing. A pivotpin or journal, not visible in the drawing, extends downwardly from thebolt 4 through the collar 5 into the housing section 3. Secured to andextending radially from the pivot pin below the top wall 7 of thehousing is a pivot lever 8 which extends through an L-shaped slot 10 inthe wall of the housing section 3. The L- shaped slot 10 is formed of avertical leg 9 which extends downwardly from one end, the left end asviewed in FIG. 1, of a horizontal leg 12 of the slot. In FIG. 1 thepivot lever 8 is shown at an intermediate position in the horizontal leg12 of the slot 10. The pivot lever 8 has a handle 15 hinged to itsradially outer end and the handle is movable between a horizontalposition, see FIG. 1, and a vertical position, see FIG. 2. On the outersurface of the housing section 3, stop members 13 and 14 are positionedbelow the horizontal leg 12 of the slot 10 which cooperate with thehandle 15 of the pivot lever 8 when it is in the vertical position toprevent displacement of the pivot lever and, in turn, of the bolt.

By moving the pivot lever through the horizontal and vertical legs 12, 9of the slot 10 the bolt can be rotatably displaced for securing acontainer in place on the frame support 4. By aligning the pivot leverwith the vertical leg 9 and moving it downwardly therethrough, the boltarrangement can be retracted into the housing so that it does notobstruct or project above the housing and interfere with the use oroperation of the truck. The socket-type opening of a container plateconstruction which fits over the bolt and around the guide collar doesnot form a part of the invention, and since it is well known, is notillustrated in the drawing.

The end 11 of the horizontal leg 12 of the slot is enlarged in thedownward direction so that the lower edge surface of the slot extendsdownwardly from the normal plane of the edge surface for the remainderof the slot. The stop member 14 is positioned adjacent the end 11 of theslot.

The handle 15 of the pivot lever can be locked in its vertical andhorizontal position by means of a a cup spring, not shown, located inthe inner end face of the handle.

Intermediate the ends of the horizontal leg 12 of the slot 10, a centerposition of the bolt 4, as represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, is provided bya depression 16. This depression 16 makes it possible to locate theturning bolt easily in its center position and,if necessary, stopmembers may also be located adjacent the center position for locking thepivot lever handle in position.

After the socket-type openings in the plate section of the container arefitted over the bolt and its guide collar, the bolt can be rotated bymeans of the pivot lever 8 and its handle 11 into either of the lockedpositions at the opposite ends of the horizontal leg 12. In the pivotbolt arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is possible to securecontainer plate sections of two different thicknesses by positioning thepivot lever selectively at one or the other ends of the horizontal legof the slot. If the container has a thicker plate section, the pivotlever and its handle are turned to the left hand end, as viewed in FIG.1, of the horizontal leg 12 of the slot so that the head rotatesrelative to the guide collar and holds the container plate section inposition. When the handle is turned to the left hand end, it isprevented from passing downwardly through the vertical leg 9 and byfolding or turning the lever handle 15 downwardly it is locked in placeagainst displacement by means of the stop member 13 projecting outwardlyfrom the surface of the housing section 3.

If, on the other hand, a thinner plate section is used for thecontainer, the pivot lever is turned from its center position atdepression 16 to the right-hand end of the horizontal leg 12 and intothe downwardly extending end 11. As the pivot lever rides downwardlyinto the end 11, the collar guide 5 and the bolt 4 recede toward the topwall 7 of the housing 2 and the bolt contacts the thinner wall sectionof the container and secures it in place. When the bolt is positioned atthe end 1 1, the handle 15 is folded downwardly into the verticalposition and is secured against displacement by means of the outwardlyprojecting stop member 14 on the outer surface of the housing section 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, slightly to the right of the center position of thepivot bolt 4, an assembly slot 17 extends through the housing from thehorizontal leg 12 of the slot 10 through the top wall 7. By moving thepivot lever and its handle in alignment with the assembly slot, the boltcan be lifted from the housing 2 through the section 3 for repair orreplacement without the requirement of any tools for the disassembly orremoval operation.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 6, ahammerhead-shaped pivot bolt 18 is provided with a square key 18a on itslower face and is secured to a pivot pin 19 which extends through theguide collar 20. The bolt 18 is supported within a housing 32 having anopening in its upper surface and being open at its base to provide ahollow or open space into which the bolt can be retracted. Within thehousing, a pivot lever 21 is located at the lower end of the boltarrangement and a U-shaped handle 22 is secured to the pivot pin 19 bymeans of a spindle nut 23 for rotating the bolt between its locked andunlocked positions. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the bolt 18 is shown extendingupwardly from the housing in position to secure a container to the framesupport 24, however, when the bolt is not being used it is retractableinto the housing. To secure the bolt in position for attaching acontainer to the frame support 24, a pair of supporting levers 25 aresecured to the housing and are spring-loaded in the securing position bymeans of an adjusting spring 27. Each of the levers 25 is provided witha handle 26, note FIGS. 3 and 6, for displacing the levers from thesupporting position against the spring effect. The ends of the leverswhich contact the collar of the bolt have a shaped configuration 28 forengaging the collar 20 and securing the bolt in its upright or attachingposition. The shaped configurations 28 on the ends of the levers contactthe longitudinally extending edge surfaces 29 of the guide collar. Theguide collar is secured by pivot bearings 30 to the side walls 31 of thehousing 32 and the bolt and the collar extend through an opening 33 inthe top of the housing. When the handles 26 are pivoted against theforce of the springs 27 the levers release the bolt arrangement and itcan be pivoted about the pivot bearings 30 downwardly into the housing32 so that it is displaced below the top surface of the housing as shownin FIG. 5. When the bolt is pivoted downwardly and the handle isreleased the adjusting springs 27 urge the levers 25 against the flatedges of the guide collar 20 and prevent it from movement within thehousing.

In the embodiment of the bolt arrangement shown in FIGS. 3 6, the pivotpin 19 of the bolt 18 is axially displaceable relative to the guidecollar 20 and is rotatable by means of the pivot lever 21 and theU-shaped handle 22 so that varying thicknesses of container plate can besecured to the housing.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, another embodiment of the bolt arrangement is shownwhich is similar to that indicated in FIGS. 3 6 in which the bolt can berotated about pivot bearings into the housing. In this embodimentinstead of the spindle nut provided on the pivot pin 19 of the bolt 18,the hammerhead-shaped bolt is formed of an upper hammerhead-shaped part18a and a spacer 18b having a corresponding transverse section to thatof the upper part 18a. The upper part 18a is secured to a pivot pin 19aand the spacer 18b is in frictional contact by means of a spring catchwith the pivot pin 19a. The thickness of the spacer 18b, that is, itsdimension in the axial direction of the pivot pin 19a, corresponds tothe thickness difference between two standard plate thicknesses of thecontainer to be mounted on the chassis frame support. When a thinnerplate section of the container is being secured by means of the boltarrangement in FIGS. 7 and 8, the spacer 18b is turned along. with thebolt 18a rotating over the surface of the plate section and locking itin position. In such a construction the spacer 18a turns over the springcatch 180. However, when a thicker plate section of the container isbeing secured in place only the bolt 18a is rotated and the spacer 18bremains in position. The bolt 18a holds the thicker plate section of thecontainer on the housing.

While the present invention has been described as advantageous insecuring containers to a truck body, it will be appreciated that similarbolt arrangements may be employed for other attachment purposes and itis not required that the bolts be oriented vertically in all cases.

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly for securing a container, having socket-type openings, toa chassis frame support, wherein a part of the assembly is arranged toextend through the socket-type openings and to secure the container tothe support, comprising, in combination, a housing arranged to besecured to the chassis frame support, said housing having a top wall andside walls extending downwardly from said top wall forming an open spacebelow said top wall, said top wall having an opening therethrough, abolt collar disposed within said housing and arranged to extend throughthe opening therein, a bolt extending through said collar and having abolt head superposed on said collar and a pivot pin extending downwardlyfrom said bold head through said collar into said housing, a pivot leversecured to said pivot pin below said collar, pivot means pivotallymounting said bolt collar in said housing for pivotal displacement ofsaid bolt and collar between a first position, in which said bolt andcollar extend upwardly from said top wall of said housing, and a secondposition, in which said bolt and collar are recessed into said housing,and re taining means releasably engaging said collar in said firstposition of said bolt and collar to retain said bolt and collarreieasably in said first position.

2. An assembly, as set forth in claim 1, including means arranged foradjusting the position of said bolt head to accomodate and securedifferent thicknesses of the container in which the socket-type openingsare formed, said bolt head having a hammerhead shape with its dimensionin one direction transverse to the axis of said bolt being greater thanits dimension in the other direction transverse to the axis of saidbolt, said collar having a hammerhead shape similar to that of said bolthead so that, as said bolt head is rotated relative to said collar, saidbolt head extends laterally outwardly from said collar, a square key onthe lower face of said bolt head arranged to fit within a similarlyshaped recess in said collar, said pivot lever extending through saidpivot pin perpendicularly to the axis thereof, a spindle nut mounted onsaid pivot pin above said pivot lever, and a handle secured to saidspindle nut and extending therefrom in a plane coestensive with saidpivot lever, said handle being arranged to operate said pivot lever.

3. An assembly, as set forth in claim 1, including means arranged foradjusting the position of said bolt head to accommodate and securedifferent thicknesses of the container in which the socket-type openingsare formed, a spacer, having a shape similar to the hammerhead shape ofsaid bolt head, positioned about said pivot pin adjacent the lowersurface of said bolt head, and a spring catch releasably interconnectingsaid spacer and said pivot pin for rotation with said bolt so that,relative to the thickness of the container plate section to be securedto the housing, said spacer can selectively rotate with said bolt head.

4. An assembly, as set forth in claim 2, said retaining means includingat least one supporting lever pivotally mounted within said housing forholding said collar in position with said bolt extending upwardly fromthe upper surface of said housing, and spring means for urging saidsupporting lever into contact with said collar for securing said collarand said bolt in position.

5. An assembly, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the end of eachsupporting lever arranged to contact said collar has a shapedconfiguration therein for engaging in locking relationship a similarlyshaped surface on said collar.

6. An assembly, as set forth in claim 4, including a handle positionedon the exterior of said housing and extending therefrom into engagementwith said supporting lever for pivoting said supporting lever out ofengagement with said collar against the action of said spring means forreleasing said collar and bolt for pivotal movement into said housing.

7. An assembly, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said pivot pin isaxially displaceable relative to said collar for rotating said bolt headand securing a container to said housing.

1. An assembly for securing a container, having socket-type openings, toa chassis frame support, wherein a part of the assembly is arranged toextend through the socket-type openings and to secure the container tothe support, comprising, in combination, a housing arranged to besecured to the chassis frame support, said housing having a top wall andside walls extending downwardly from said top wall forming an open spacebelow said top wall, said top wall having an opening therethrough, abolt collar disposed within said housing and arranged to extend throughthe opening therein, a bolt extending through said collar and having abolt head superposed on said collar and a pivot pin extending downwardlyfrom said bold head through said collar into said housing, a pivot leversecured to said pivot pin below said collar, pivot means pivotallymounting said bolt collar in said housing for pivotal displacement ofsaid bolt and collar between a first position, in which said bolt andcollar extend upwardly from said top wall of said housing, and a secondposition, in which said bolt and collar are recessed into said housing,and retaining means releasably engaging said collar in said firstposition of said bolt and collar to retain said bolt and collarreleasably in said first position.
 2. An assembly, as set forth in claim1, including means arranged for adjusting the position of said bolt headto accomodate and secure different thicknesses of the container in whichthe socket-type openings are formed, said bolt head having a hammerheadshape with its dimension in one direction transverse to the axis of saidbolt being greater than its dimension in the other direction transverseto the axis of said bolt, said collar having a hammerhead shape similarto that of said bolt head so that, as said bolt head is rotated relativeto said collar, said bolt head extends laterally outwardly from saidcollar, a square key on the lower face of said bolt head arranged to fitwithin a similarly shaped recess in said collar, said pivot leverextending through said pivot pin perpendicularly to the axis thereof, aspindle nut mounted on said pivot pin above said pivot lever, and ahandle secured to said spindle nut and extending therefrom in a planecoestensive with said pivot lever, said handle being arranged to operatesaid pivot lever.
 3. An assembly, as set forth in claim 1, includingmeans arranged for adjusting tHe position of said bolt head toaccommodate and secure different thicknesses of the container in whichthe socket-type openings are formed, a spacer, having a shape similar tothe hammerhead shape of said bolt head, positioned about said pivot pinadjacent the lower surface of said bolt head, and a spring catchreleasably interconnecting said spacer and said pivot pin for rotationwith said bolt so that, relative to the thickness of the container platesection to be secured to the housing, said spacer can selectively rotatewith said bolt head.
 4. An assembly, as set forth in claim 2, saidretaining means including at least one supporting lever pivotallymounted within said housing for holding said collar in position withsaid bolt extending upwardly from the upper surface of said housing, andspring means for urging said supporting lever into contact with saidcollar for securing said collar and said bolt in position.
 5. Anassembly, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the end of each supportinglever arranged to contact said collar has a shaped configuration thereinfor engaging in locking relationship a similarly shaped surface on saidcollar.
 6. An assembly, as set forth in claim 4, including a handlepositioned on the exterior of said housing and extending therefrom intoengagement with said supporting lever for pivoting said supporting leverout of engagement with said collar against the action of said springmeans for releasing said collar and bolt for pivotal movement into saidhousing.
 7. An assembly, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said pivot pinis axially displaceable relative to said collar for rotating said bolthead and securing a container to said housing.